


I Heard It Was Your Birthday

by FeralScribe



Series: Widomauk Week 2019 Prompts [4]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: "Birthday" Presents, Don’t copy to another site, Fluff, Giving, M/M, Other, Surprise Kissing, Widomauk Week 2019, widomauk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-07 22:20:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19094227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeralScribe/pseuds/FeralScribe
Summary: Molly and Caleb give each other a birthday gift, despite the fact that it is neither of their birthdays.A silly little ficlet for Widomauk Week.





	I Heard It Was Your Birthday

Caleb is always doing one of three things: studying, drinking, or sleeping. Molly approaches him as he is doing two of those things, tucked away in a secluded corner booth of the tavern. He has a book on the table and a mug of ale in his hand. Molly flops down in the seat next to him.

“Hello,” he says cheerily.

“ _Hallo_ , Mollymauk,” Caleb replies, barely looking up from his book.

Molly sets his elbows on the table to rest his chin on his hands and lean in closer to Caleb. “So, I heard it was your birthday.”

Caleb furrows his brow. He sets his drink down and pouts at Molly in confusion. “It is not my birthday.”

“Oh. Well it’s coming up then, right?”

“…No?”

Molly smiles to hide his sheepish wince. “Then…it just passed?”

Caleb shakes his head. “ _Nein_ , my birthday was several months ago.”

“Ah. I see.” Molly’s tail twists into a mildly embarrassed coil. He has already made a fool of himself, so he might as well keep going. “Okay, so I didn’t hear it was your birthday, but I have a gift for you anyway.”

“You do?”

“I do.” Molly pulls the carefully wrapped bundle from his pocket. “Happy…um…not-your-birthday.”

Caleb examines the brown paper and the hemp string as though they are exotic items from some far off continent. He tugs at the bow to unwrap the gift. Molly watches with his heart in his throat. He wishes Caleb would just rip the paper like a normal person instead of drawing this out.

After what seems like an hour later, Caleb holds up two little sacks. The dark material reflects some of the nearby lantern’s glow, shimmering like the surface of a lake in the moonlight. “Um, thank you?”

“They’re waterproof book covers,” Molly explains. “I saw them at this shop earlier and knew I had to get them for you.”

Realization makes Caleb’s eyes light up. “Oh! Yes, thank you very much, Mollymauk. I take it these are for…” He gestures at his shoulder holsters.

“Yeah, exactly.” Molly grins. He lets go of some of the tension in his shoulders at the sight of real gratitude in Caleb’s expression. “Do you like them?”

“I do. They are very nice.” Caleb rubs the fabric between his fingers. “And finely made, too. Quite thoughtful of you.” He chuckles. “Perhaps the best birthday gift I have ever received when it wasn’t my birthday.”

Molly laughs. “Well, it’s a highly belated birthday gift, let’s think of it that way.”

Caleb nods. “By any chance, is _your_ birthday coming up?”

“I don’t know,” Molly says with a shrug. “I didn’t really have one.”

“So you have never celebrated…anything?”

“Not really. Can’t remember exactly when I came out of the ground, or when the carnival gave me my name, or whatever. Those early days are all just a blur to me.”

“Oh.” Caleb frowns. “Well that is a shame, because I have a birthday gift _I_ have been meaning to give _you_.”

“Is that so?” Molly flicks his tail tip with intrigue. “I’d be happy to accept it, regardless of whether you’re early, late, or somehow right on time.”

“Alright then.” Caleb scoots closer in the booth. Molly turns to face him, excited for what his present could be.

Then Caleb leans in and kisses Molly full on the mouth. Molly’s face burns and his tail arches in surprise.

“Happy not-your-birthday,” Caleb says through a tipsy smile.

Molly blinks as the past few seconds catch up to him. “You know,” he says. “I just remembered. It _is_ my birthday today.”

“Oh, well then.” Caleb gives him another kiss, longer and harder. “Happy birthday.”

“…And you know what?”

“What?”

“Tomorrow is my birthday, too.” Molly grins mischievously. “And the day after that, and the day after that…”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please leaves kudos and comments, and if you want to support my work even more you can find me on Ko-fi under the same name!


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